You trust your friends. So when one of them recommends a restaurant, product, or service, you’re more likely to go for it instead of another alternative.
And this is the very reason why word-of-mouth marketing is one of the most valuable marketing methods, with 88% of people trusting recommendations from those they know more than any other channel.
With that in mind, it’s no surprise that finding ways to get people to talk about your business can help supercharge your leads.
That’s where a strategic approach to word-of-mouth marketing comes into play.
What is Word-of-Mouth Marketing?
Word-of-mouth marketing is a catch-all phrase that refers to people talking about your business but it excludes marketing activities that you pay for or create on your own.
The simplest definition of word-of-mouth marketing is when people are having a favorable conversation about your company, products, or services.
But it goes beyond that too.
Here are some other activities that count as word-of-mouth marketing:
- Online reviews and customer testimonials.
- Social media mentions, tagged posts, or user-generated content (i.e., anything that someone posts on social media about your company).
- Employee advocacy—when people who work for the company talk about it online.
- Blog posts or press mentions—other people discussing your company online.
While companies can take action to inspire it, word-of-mouth marketing is generated by the customer or client, not the company itself.
For this reason, there isn’t the same bias or agenda—real or perceived—as company-generated marketing activities.
Word-of-mouth marketing is genuine and real, making it a more trustworthy source of information for potential customers.
7 Ways to Increase Word-of-Mouth Marketing
Getting people talking about your company is incredibly impactful. Here are a few strategies you can use to make it happen.
Make a Plan
Like any good marketing strategy, your word-of-mouth marketing needs a plan.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Collect data on where people hear about you by including a query for how people heard about you on your contact forms or other customer touchpoints.
- Look at other companies in your industry to see their social media engagement, how they display reviews, and other word-of-mouth activities.
- Allocate time and money to word-of-mouth marketing as part of your overall marketing strategy. For example, if you’re going to spend more time engaging with customers on social media, you may need to assign an employee to it and re-shuffle job tasks.
Give People Something to Talk About
If you want people to talk about your business, you need to earn it.
This includes offering high-quality products and services but it also extends to the experiences you create and the way you make your customers feel.
It’s important that you:
- Go above and beyond with customer service.
- Set up unique and engaging experiences—do something that they won’t forget.
- Focus on aesthetics and visual features. The more “Instagrammable” you are, the more likely people will share their experiences. This could include your packaging and unboxing.
This can be tailored depending on your business and industry, so get creative in looking for ways to make the experience of purchasing from your company that much more engaging for your customers.
Participate in the Dialogue
To get more people talking about your company, join the conversation.
Whenever someone organically posts about your company or gives you a shout-out, make sure to respond.
Take every opportunity to engage with your audience to show your company is approachable and personable, furthering a positive image.
It can take a lot of time to engage with customers and clients on social media. Hiring a high-quality virtual assistant can help tackle some of this work for your company at a reasonable price point.
Manage Reviews and Testimonials
Reviews and customer testimonials are powerful word-of-mouth marketing tools.
Just think—how often do you buy anything online without reading reviews these days? They’re a key step in the modern consumer purchasing process.
Businesses can increase the impact of word-of-mouth marketing by managing reviews and testimonials in a few different ways, such as:
- Displaying reviews or testimonials prominently on your website.
- Making it easy for clients or customers to leave a review by making it visible and easy.
- Responding professionally to negative reviews.
- Asking for a positive review or feedback from satisfied customers.
Network
Networking is probably the most tried-and-true version of word-of-mouth marketing out there. To get people talking about your business, simply start a conversation.
The more people you know, the more people are introduced to what you do. And, the more they can share with their friends and family.
Here are a few networking tips:
- Always be genuine and authentic. Go into each conversation, whether online or in-person, with the intent to get to know them—not sell them on something.
- Join a professional community like a coworking space where you can interact with like-minded professionals. Check out these 5 steps to grow your knowledge and network in a coworking community to make the most of it.
- Attend industry events and gatherings such as trade shows, seminars, or conferences.
- Participate in or sponsor community initiatives and events like sports tournaments or charitable projects.
Encourage User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) is created and shared by customers about your brand and business. It builds trust because it’s honest and real.
Wondering how you can incentivize UGC? You can do so by
- Creating a unique hashtag that relates to your business that customers can use.
- Engaging with and re-sharing UGC and making it visible on your own channels.
- Offering discounts or gifts to those who share UGC about your company and brand.
- Running contests or giveaways that involve your customers sharing your content or account to their followers.
Work with Influencers
Influencer marketing has exploded in the last five years. At its core, it involves collaborating with well-known people—those who have strong social media presences or high levels of notoriety in other fields—and having them share your content to their loyal audiences.
One way to tap into these people is to send them free products. If they’re happy with it, they can give you a shout-out and review, spreading the word to their audience.
Or, if you want to invest more heavily, you can engage in paid partnerships with influencers that will provide you with guaranteed promotion.
You don’t just have to go after the big influencers either. Micro-influencers can also be incredibly beneficial to your brand, especially if you’re looking to connect with a niche audience. Micro-influencers also often have more engaged followings than their macro influencer counterparts.
Word-of-mouth marketing is about being a topic of conversation. So, as your company makes decisions about marketing strategies, product launches, or daily operations, ask yourself how you can ensure you put it in front of your customers in the right ways and the right places to get them talking about your brand.
Surrounding yourself with an engaged, connected, and supportive professional network is also a great way to create chatter about your business, and you’ll find that here. So, book a tour of your local Launch Workplace today.
